Access hatch reinforcement module &amp; method of installing an access hatch to an existing hood for a mobile vehicle

ABSTRACT

An access hatch reinforcement module and a method of assembling an access hatch to an existing engine compartment hood of a vehicle. The access hatch reinforcement module includes a wall engagement component for engagement to the hood outer wall of the engine compartment hood. The access hatch reinforcement module further includes a door engagement component for engagement to a hatch door of the access hatch. The wall engagement component and the door engagement component of the access hatch reinforcement module are directly fixedly engaged to one another by temporary fixed engagements. The wall engagement component and the door engagement component are also indirectly engaged to one another through operational door connecting components such as a hinge component. The wall engagement component and the door engagement component are engaged to the hood outer wall and the portion of the hood outer wall that is engaged to the door engagement component is separated from the portion of the hood outer wall that is engaged to the wall engagement component. Thereafter the hatch door, which is comprised of what was the portion of the hood outer wall that was engaged to the door engagement component, is supported in a properly aligned manner within a newly formed hatch opening.

[0001] This is a non-provisional application claiming priority underprovisional patent application serial No. 60/170,086 filed Dec. 9, 1999.

BACKGROUND

[0002] This invention relates to wall assemblies for structures. Inparticular, this invention relates to wall assemblies that have accesshatches. Such wall assemblies generally comprise a wall that defines ahatch opening. It is well known to construct wall assemblies ofstructures with access hatches that can be selectively opened or closedto allow or prevent passage of objects, individuals, or substancesthrough the hatch opening of the wall between different sides of thewall. The access hatch generally comprises a hatch door that may beclosed or in other words positioned over the hatch opening to preventpassage of objects through the hatch opening between opposite sides ofthe wall. Most such access hatches have operational door connectingcomponents that can be engaged to a door engagement component and alsoengaged to a wall engagement component. The door engagement component isa component that is to be engaged directly or indirectly to the hatchdoor of the access hatch when construction of the wall assembly iscomplete. In some cases the door engagement component is, in fact, thehatch door itself. The wall engagement component is a component that isto be engaged directly or indirectly to the wall when construction ofthe wall assembly is complete. In some cases the wall engagementcomponent is, in fact, the wall itself. The operational door connectingcomponents serve to support the hatch door in certain positions relativeto the hatch opening when they are engaged to the hatch door and thewall. The operational door connecting components may comprise variousdesigns of latches, hinges, linkages, and brackets that can be engagedto the hatch door and the wall. The construction of the wall, the hatchdoor, and the operational door connecting components generally allowsfor selective positioning of the hatch door in a position covering thehatch opening or in one or more positions exposing the hatch opening. Itis also known to construct these components such that the components maybe selectively engaged to one another in a manner such that the hatchdoor is maintained in certain positions relative to the hatch opening.For instance, some access hatch assemblies include latches that can beselectively engaged to maintain the hatch door in a positionsubstantially covering the hatch opening or disengaged to allow movementof the hatch door to positions exposing the hatch opening.

[0003] Various methods of making and assembling walls that have accesshatches are well known. Known methods of constructing wall assemblieswith access hatches include making the wall which defines a hatchopening, the hatch door, the door engagement component, the wallengagement component, and the operational door connecting componentsprior to assembling these components into a unit. During the assembly ofthe components of the wall assembly to one another there are numerousopportunities for error in the relative positioning of the components.If a great deal of error in the position of the components relative toone another occurs during assembly of the wall assembly, the accesshatch often does not function properly. One common problem that resultsfrom errors in assembly of the wall assembly is misalignment or pooralignment of the hatch door with the hatch opening defined by the wall.The process of constructing a wall assembly with an access hatch asdescribed above is used to produce such a wall assembly for many typesof structures. One structure for which it is well known to produce awall assembly with such an access hatch in such a manner is the bodycomponents of a vehicle and an engine compartment hood in particular.Such access hatches for engine compartment hoods of vehicles allow thehatch door to be selectively positioned over the hatch opening toisolate the engine compartment from undesirable elements of theenvironment or to be positioned to expose the hatch opening to allowaccess to the engine compartment.

SUMMARY

[0004] A primary object of the invention is to provide a cost effectivewall assembly with an access hatch and a method of assembling the wallassembly and access hatch that allows for repeatable assembly of thecomponents in a manner that will allow for proper functioning of thecomponents.

[0005] The wall assembly of the present invention comprises a wall. Thewall assembly of the present invention is to include an access hatchwhich makes it possible to selectively allow or prevent the passage ofobjects, substances, or individuals through a hatch opening, from oneside of the wall to the other. When the construction of the wallassembly is complete, the wall defines a hatch opening, which if leftuncovered allows for the passage of objects through the hatch openingfrom one side of the wall to the other. In the completed wall assembly,a hatch door is mounted adjacent the wall by operational door connectingcomponents. The operational door connecting components serve to mountthe hatch door adjacent the wall. The construction and engagement to oneanother of the wall, the hatch door, and the operational door connectingcomponents is such that the hatch door can be selectively closed(positioned to substantially cover the hatch opening) or opened(positioned to expose the hatch opening). A hatch opening perimeterstructure is constructed during the construction and assembly of thewall assembly. The hatch opening perimeter structure is a structure thatis to be disposed adjacent to outer bounds of the hatch opening when thewall assembly is complete. The hatch opening perimeter structure may beconstructed integrally with other portions of the wall upon initialconstruction of the wall or the hatch opening perimeter structure may beconstructed separate from the wall initially and engaged to the wall ata later time. During the construction of the wall assembly, the hatchdoor of the access hatch is temporarily fixedly engaged in its closedposition to the hatch opening perimeter structure by temporary fixedengagements. Subsequent to the hatch door being fixedly engaged in itsclosed position to the hatch opening perimeter structure, one or more ofthe operational door connecting components are engaged to both the hatchopening perimeter structure and the hatch door. These operational doorconnecting components are engaged to the hatch door and the hatchopening perimeter structure in the same manner in which they would beengaged to these components to maintain the hatch door in its closedposition after final assembly of the wall assembly. After theseoperational door connecting components are engaged to the hatch door andthe hatch opening perimeter structure in this manner, the temporaryfixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeterstructure are separated. Thus, after the temporary fixed engagements ofthe hatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure are separated,the hatch door is supported adjacent the hatch opening by theoperational door connecting components engaged to the hatch door and thehatch opening perimeter structure. Construction of a wall assembly andan access hatch therefor according to the structure and methodsdescribed above all but assures that the hatch door can be supported bythe operational door connecting components in a manner properly alignedwith the hatch opening in its closed position.

[0006] Thus, it can be seen that the above-mentioned objects of theinvention, as well as others not mentioned, have been met.

DRAWINGS

[0007] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent upon perusal of the detailed description thereof and uponinspection of the drawings in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an engine compartment hood with anaccess hatch constructed according to the present invention and with thehatch door in its open position.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement opposite a side on which it would be engaged to the hatchdoor and the hatch opening perimeter structure and from a first angle.

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement opposite a side on which it would be engaged to the hatchdoor and the hatch opening perimeter structure and from a second angle.

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement that would be engaged to the hatch door and the hatchopening perimeter structure and from a first angle.

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement that would be to the hatch door and the hatch openingperimeter structure and from a second angle.

[0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an engine compartment hood with anaccess hatch constructed according to the present invention and with thehatch door in its closed position.

[0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wall engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the wall engagement componentthat would be engaged to the hatch opening perimeter structure and froma first angle.

[0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the wall engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the wall engagement componentthat would be engaged to the hatch opening perimeter structure and froma second angle.

[0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the door engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the door engagement componentopposite a side that would be engaged to the hatch door and from a firstangle.

[0017]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the door engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the door engagement componentopposite a side that would be engaged to the hatch door and from asecond angle.

[0018]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention parallel to the orientation that theouter surfaces of the hatch door would have when mounted to the accesshatch reinforcement module.

[0019]FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof of the present invention in a direction parallel to the outersurfaces of the hatch door with the temporary fixed engagements of thehatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure present and thetemporary fixed engagements of the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component also present.

[0020]FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof of the present invention in a direction parallel to the outersurfaces of the hatch door and with the construction of the wallassembly and access hatch thereof complete and with the hatch door inits closed position.

[0021]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof of the present invention in a direction parallel to the outersurfaces of the hatch door and with the construction of the wallassembly and access hatch thereof complete and with the hatch door inits open position.

[0022]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the wall engagement component andthe door engagement component of the present invention temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another.

[0023]FIG. 16 is a sectional view through line A-A of FIG. 15 showingthe temporary fixed engagements of the wall engagement component to thedoor engagement component.

[0024]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention with hidden lines present.

[0025]FIG. 18 is a first sectional view of a portion of the wallassembly and access hatch thereof of the present invention in adirection parallel to the outer surfaces of the hatch door and showingthe temporary fixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch openingperimeter structure and showing the temporary fixed engagements of thewall engagement component to the door engagement component.

[0026]FIG. 19 is a view of the wall assembly and the access hatchthereof with the hatch door in its closed position showing the outersurfaces of the hatch door and the surrounding hatch opening perimeterstructure.

[0027]FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof through line A-A of FIG. 19 with the temporary fixed engagementsof the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure separated andalso with the temporary fixed engagements of the wall engagementcomponent to the door engagement component separated.

[0028]FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 20 in Circle Bwith the temporary fixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatchopening perimeter structure intact and also with the temporary fixedengagements of the wall engagement component to the door engagementcomponent intact.

[0029]FIG. 22 is a side view of a vehicle with an engine compartmenthood that has an access hatch according to the present invention.

DETAILS OF INVENTION

[0030] Referring now to the figures in detail, there is shown a wallassembly 21 for use in some type of structure 12. The wall assembly 21of the present invention comprises a wall 10. The wall assembly 21 ofthe present invention is to include an access hatch 12 which makes itpossible to selectively allow or prevent the passage of objects,substances, or individuals through a hatch opening 13, from one side ofthe wall 10 to the other. The wall 10 of the present invention may bevirtually any component that has unbroken portions 20 that preventdirect passage of objects from areas adjacent the unbroken portions 20of the wall 10 to areas on opposite sides of the unbroken portions 20 ofthe wall 10. When the construction of the wall assembly 21 is complete,the wall 10 defines a hatch opening 13, which if left uncovered, allowsfor the passage of objects through the hatch opening 13 from one side ofthe wall 10 to the other. The hatch opening 13 is, more specificallydefined between inner bounds 57 of hatch opening perimeter structure 24that is engaged to a portion of the wall 10 adjacent the hatch opening13. When the wall assembly 21 is completely constructed, a hatch door 14is mounted adjacent the wall 10 by operational door connectingcomponents 15. The operational door connecting components 15 serve tomount the hatch door 14 adjacent the wall 10. The construction andengagement to one another of the wall 10, the hatch door 14, and theoperational door connecting components 15 is such that the hatch door 14can be selectively closed (positioned to substantially cover the hatchopening 13) or opened (to expose the hatch opening 13).

[0031] The present invention includes a preferred method according towhich the wall assembly 21 is constructed. Hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 is constructed during the construction and assembly of thewall assembly 21. The hatch opening perimeter structure 24 is structurethat is to be disposed adjacent to hatch opening outer bounds 25 whenthe wall assembly 21 is complete. The hatch opening perimeter structure24 may be constructed integrally with other portions of the wall 10 uponinitial construction of the wall 10 or the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 may be constructed separate from the wall 10 initially andengaged to the wall 10 at a later time. For purposes of this disclosure,a component or components that are integrally engaged, integrallycreated, are of integral construction or are of unitary construction areunderstood to be component(s) that have the defining characteristic ofhaving been made from a single piece of material through processes suchas machining, stamping, forming, casting, molding, etc. All portions ofcomponents made in such a manner are engaged to one another without suchmeans as welds, adhesives, fasteners, etc. During the construction ofthe wall assembly 21, temporary fixed engagements 27 temporarily fixedlyengage the hatch door 14 of the access hatch 12 in its closed positionto the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The temporary fixedengagements 27 between these components facilitate the assembly of thecomponents. The temporary fixed engagements 27 must, however, beseparated before construction of the wall assembly 21 and access hatch12 thereof is complete in order to permit proper functioning of theaccess hatch 12. The hatch door 14 is temporarily fixedly engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 in a position such that the hatchdoor 14 is properly aligned with the hatch opening perimeter structure24. The hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 couldbe constructed and temporarily engaged to one another in any of a numberof ways that would allow for construction of the wall assembly 21according to the structure and methods of the present invention.Subsequent to the hatch door 14 being temporarily fixedly engaged in itsclosed position to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, one or moreof the operational door connecting components 15 are engaged to both thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14. Theseoperational door connecting components 15 are engaged to the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in the same manner inwhich they would be in order to maintain the hatch door 14 in its closedposition after final assembly of the wall assembly 21. After theseoperational door connecting components 15 are engaged to the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in this manner, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are separated. Thus, after the temporary fixedengagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 are separated, the operational door connecting components15 support the hatch door 14 adjacent the hatch opening 13. Constructionof a wall assembly 21 and an access hatch 12 therefor according to thestructure and methods described above all but assures that theoperational door support components 15 can support the hatch door 14 inits closed position in a manner properly aligned with the hatch opening13.

[0032] The construction and engagement to one another of the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 may be of many differentdesigns. As was mentioned above, according to the present invention, thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are to betemporarily fixedly engaged to one another before operational doorconnecting components 15 are engaged to them. The hatch door 14 and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 may be constructed and temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another in any of a number of ways that wouldallow for the construction of the wall assembly 21 according to thepresent invention. In the preferred embodiment, the hatch door 14comprises a continuous sheet 26 that extends beyond a hatch doorperiphery 28 into the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. A portion ofthe continuous sheet 26 outside the hatch door periphery 28 is, in fact,part of the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The temporary fixedengagements 27 comprise fixed engagement of a portion of the continuoussheet 26 that is part of the hatch door 14 to a portion of thecontinuous sheet 26 that is part of the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 at the hatch door periphery 28. In addition to the fixedengagement of the two portions of the continuous sheet 26 to oneanother, there may be other temporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatchdoor 14 to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Alternatively, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 may consist only of the fixed engagement of thetwo portions of the continuous sheet 26 to one another. As was mentionedabove, after operational door connecting components 15 are engaged toboth the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are to be separated. In the preferred embodiment,the portion of the continuous sheet 26 that is part of the hatch door 14is separated from the portion of the continuous sheet 26 that is part ofthe hatch opening perimeter structure 24 at the hatch door periphery 28.The hatch door periphery 28 is considered to be outer portions of thehatch door 14 or portions of the hatch door 14 that will be the outerportions of the hatch door 14 after separation of the hatch doorperiphery 28 from the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Thecontinuous sheet 26 is separated at the hatch door periphery 28 byshearing, fracturing, or cutting the two portions of the continuoussheet 26 from each other. In the preferred embodiment, the hatch door 14is separated from the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 by cuttingthe hatch door 14 from the hatch opening perimeter structure by using arouter. Upon separation of the hatch door 14 from the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 in such a manner, the hatch opening 13 is definedbetween inner bounds 29 of the hatch opening perimeter structure 24.Because the hatch door 14 is separated from the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 in this manner, the hatch door 14 has a very similar shapeas and is just slightly smaller than the hatch opening 13. As mentionedabove, the hatch door 14 is temporarily fixedly engaged to the hatchopening perimeter structure 24 in a position properly aligned with thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 before the operational doorconnecting components 15 are engaged between the components. As aresult, it is all but completely assured that, after separation of thetemporary fixed engagements 27, the hatch door 14 can be supportedadjacent the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 by the operationaldoor connecting components 15 in a properly aligned manner.

[0033] In the preferred embodiment, some of the operational doorconnecting components 15 are connected to the hatch door 14 and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 indirectly. In this embodiment, theoperational door connecting components 15 are engaged to the hatchopening perimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14 through hatchengagement components 61. Hatch engagement components 61 include wallengagement components 23 and door engagement components 22. Each hatchengagement component 61 is comprised of a hatch engagement componentbody 62. In this embodiment a door engagement component 22 is engaged tothe hatch door 14 and a wall engagement component 23 is engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24. The door engagement component 22and the hatch door 14 may be constructed of any of a number of differentmaterials and may be engaged to one another in any of a number ofdifferent ways. In the preferred embodiment, the door engagementcomponent 22 and the hatch door 14 are made of materials such asplastics, composites, or fiberglass materials. The components arepreferably engaged to one another by bonding the components to oneanother in ways that it is well known to bond components made of suchmaterials for use in vehicle bodies. The wall engagement component 23and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 may be constructed of anyof a number of different materials and may be engaged to one another inany of a number of different ways. In the preferred embodiment, the wallengagement component 23 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 aremade of materials such as plastics, composites, or fiberglass materials.The components are preferably engaged to one another by bonding thecomponents to one another in ways that it is well known to bondcomponents made of such materials for use in vehicle bodies. One or moreof the operational door connecting components 15 that are engaged toboth the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 areengaged to the door engagement component 22 and the wall engagementcomponent 23. One or more of the operational door connecting components15 may be engaged only to the door engagement component 22 and the wallengagement component 23 and would, thus, be engaged only indirectly tothe hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24.Preferably, but not necessarily, the wall engagement component 23 isfixedly engaged to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the doorengagement component 14 is fixedly engaged to the hatch door 14. Thewall engagement component 23 and the hatch engagement component 22 areengaged to one another indirectly through their engagement to the one ormore operational door connecting components 15 and their engagement tothe hatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14,respectively. In the preferred embodiment, during the construction ofthe wall assembly 21, the wall engagement component 23 and the hatchengagement component 22 are temporarily fixedly engaged to one anotherdirectly by temporary fixed engagements 64 between them. The temporaryfixed engagements 64 between these components facilitate the assembly ofthe components. The temporary fixed engagements 64 must, however, beseparated before construction of the wall assembly 21 and access hatch12 thereof is complete in order to permit proper functioning of theaccess hatch 12. Before construction of the wall assembly 21 iscomplete, and after the one or more operational door connectingcomponents 15 are engaged to them, the temporary fixed engagements 64between the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 21 are separated. This is necessary to allow for properfunctioning of the access hatch 12. Preferably, the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the door engagement component 22 are temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another by tabs 40 that extend between the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22. Each ofthe one or more tabs 40 has a middle portion 53 disposed between itsterminal end portions 54 that are fixedly engaged to the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the door engagement component 22. Preferably, when thewall engagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 aretemporarily fixedly engaged to one another, the tabs 40 extend betweenthe wall engagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 ina position such that the middle portion 53 of each of the tabs 40 isdisposed adjacent the hatch door periphery 28. Separation of thetemporary fixed engagements 64 of the wall engagement component 23 tothe door engagement component 22 is preferably accomplished by severingthe tabs 40 at points adjacent the hatch door periphery 28. The tabs 40,may, in fact, be severed adjacent the hatch door periphery 28 at thesame time that the hatch door 14 is separated from the hatch openingperimeter opening 24 at the hatch door periphery 28. In the preferredembodiment, the fixed engagements 64 of the wall engagement component 23to the door engagement component 22 through the tabs 40 is the onlytemporary fixed engagement 64 of the wall engagement component 23 to thedoor engagement component 22. As a result, during the process ofassembling the wall assembly 21, once the tabs 40 are severed, the wallengagement component 23 is only engaged to the door engagement component22 by operational door connecting components 15 engaged between them.

[0034] The tabs 40 that may be utilized to temporarily fixedly engagethe wall engagement component 23 to the door engagement component 22 mayalso serve to facilitate alignment of the door engagement component 22to the wall engagement component 23 during assembly of the wall assembly21 and the access hatch 12 thereof. The wall engagement component 23 andthe door engagement component 22 may be created simultaneously as anintegral component. Alternatively, the wall engagement component 23 andthe door engagement component 22 may be created separately andthereafter temporarily fixedly engaged to one another. In the preferredembodiment, the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 are created independently from one another. In thepreferred embodiment, one or more tabs 40 are initially created with andare integrally engaged to the wall engagement component 23 and/or thedoor engagement component 22. Each of the tabs 40 that is integrallyengaged to either the wall engagement component 23 or the doorengagement component 22 has an outer terminal end 60. The outer terminalend 60 of these tabs 40 is disposed opposite an end of the tabs 40integrally engaged to either the wall engagement component 23 or thedoor engagement component 22. Also, in the preferred embodiment, thestructures of the wall engagement component 23 and/or the doorengagement component 22 define tab recesses 41 that are complimentary tothe tabs 40. Both tab(s) 40, and complimentary recess(s) 41 of the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 may beconsidered tab alignment features 63. The wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 23 are preferably constructed suchthat the tab alignment features 63 of the respective components arecomplimentary to one another. In order for a tab alignment feature 63 ofone component to be considered complimentary to a tab alignment feature63 of another component the tab alignment features must be constructedand positioned so that they may be engaged to one another. In otherwords, complimentary tab alignment features 63 must comprise acomplimentary recess 41 defined by one component and a tab 40 engaged tothe other component in a position such that the tab 40 may be receivedwithin the complimentary recess 41. In the preferred embodiment the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 comprise aplurality of complimentary tab alignment features 63 that may be engagedto one another simultaneously. Also, in the preferred embodiment, wheneach one of the plurality of complimentary tab alignment features 63 aresimultaneously engaged to one another the wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 22 are positioned in the position inwhich they are to be in when temporarily fixedly engaged. Theconstruction of the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 is preferably such that when the tabs 40 are disposedwithin the tab recesses 41, movement of the components relative to oneanother in directions parallel to hatch door outer surfaces 42 isconsiderably restricted. In the preferred embodiment, the restriction ofrelative movement between these components is caused by abutment indirections parallel to the hatch door outer surfaces 42 between the tabs40 and surfaces of the tab recesses 41 within which the tabs 40 aredisposed. In order to effect this result, the construction of thecomponents is such that relatively small gap(s) are present between oneor more tabs 40 and surfaces of the recess(s) 41 within which they aredisposed in each of the directions parallel to the hatch door outersurfaces 42. Thus, small relative movements of the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the hatch engagement component 22 in directionsparallel to the hatch door outer surfaces 42 cause the tabs 40 to abutsurfaces of the recesses 41 and prevent further relative movement of thecomponents. As a result, the tabs 40 and tab recesses 41 facilitate therealization and maintenance of proper alignment of the door engagementcomponent 22 with the wall engagement component 23 prior to thesecomponents being temporarily fixedly engaged to one another.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present invention in which the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 are createdindependent of one another and subsequently temporarily fixedly engagedto one another, there are a number of ways that the components can befixedly engaged to one another. Means by which the components may befixedly engaged to one another include but are not limited to fastening,welding, gluing, and other types of bonding. In the preferredembodiment, the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 are temporarily fixedly engaged to one another by bondingthe tabs 40 to the surfaces of the complimentary recesses 41.

[0036] The wall assembly 21 may further include means for sealing thehatch door 14 to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 when the hatchdoor 14 is in its closed position. This sealing structure that may beincluded in the wall assembly 21 helps to prevent passage of objects orsubstances through gaps that may be present between the hatch door 14and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. In the preferredembodiment a seal component 51 is engaged to either the hatch door 14,the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, or structure engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24. The seal component 51 ispositioned such that, when the hatch door 14 is in its closed position,the seal component 51 is sandwiched between the hatch door 14 and eitherthe hatch opening perimeter structure 24, or structure engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24. Thus, the seal component 51 fillsgaps that exist between the hatch door 14 and either the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 or structure engaged to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. The seal component 51, thus, helps to preventthe passage of such things as dust and moisture through the gaps thatthe seal component 51 fills. Construction of access hatches 12 with sealcomponents 51 in such a manner is well known.

[0037] The wall assembly 21 and the components of the wall assembly 21may be constructed for use as part of any of a number of different kindsof structures. In the preferred embodiment, the wall assembly 21 and thecomponents of the wall assembly 21 are constructed for use as part of avehicle 29. Such a vehicle 29 generally includes a frame 31 to which ahigh percentage of the components of the vehicle 29 are directly orindirectly engaged. The frame 31 generally serves to locate most of thecomponents of the vehicle 29 relative to one another. The vehicle 29also includes a suspension system 32 that is engaged to the frame 31.The suspension system 32 is constructed to support the frame 31 and toprovide the vehicle 29 with a relatively low rolling resistance alongthe ground. The vehicle 29 may have a powertrain 33 engaged to the frame31 and the suspension system 32 for providing motivation for the vehicle29 along the ground. The vehicle 29 would also likely include one ormore body structures 34. The body structures 34 of the vehicle aregenerally constructed for containment of objects within themselvesand/or to provide isolation from undesirable elements of the environmentfor objects and/or individuals that are in certain positions relative tothe body structures 34. The body structures 34 of the vehicle 29 aregenerally mounted to and supported by the frame 31 of the vehicle 29. Avehicle 29 may have a number of different body structures 34 ofdifferent types. One type of body structure 34 that a vehicle 29 mighthave is an occupant cabin 35. Another type of body structure 34 that avehicle 29 might have is a cargo body 36. The wall assembly 21 and thecomponents of the wall assembly 21 of the present invention may bevehicle body components. In order for the wall assembly 21 and thecomponents of the wall assembly 21 to be considered vehicle bodycomponents they must be constructed to be a part of one of the bodystructures 34 of the vehicle 29.

[0038] Yet another type of body structure 34 that a vehicle 29 mighthave is an engine compartment hood 37. An engine compartment hood 37 isa body structure 34 that is disposed on one or more sides of (includingabove, below, in front of, behind, and beside) an engine which is partof the powertrain 33 of the vehicle 29. The engine compartment hood 37is constructed and positioned relative to the engine of the vehicle 29in any of a number of well known ways such that the engine compartmenthood 37 helps to isolate the engine of the vehicle 29 from undesirableelements of the environment. Engine compartment hoods 37 are generallyconstructed with a hood outer wall 38 that is disposed on one or moresides of the engine of the vehicle 29. The hood outer wall 38 preventsobjects, and substances from travelling from places on a side of thehood outer wall 38 opposite the engine to a side of the outer wall 38 onwhich the engine is disposed. In many cases, the engine compartment hood37 also includes hood reinforcing structure 39 engaged to the hood outerwall 38. The purpose of the hood reinforcing structure 39, being tostiffen and strengthen the engine compartment hood 37. Construction ofengine compartment hoods 37 according to these and/or other guidelinesis well known. In the preferred embodiment, the wall assembly 21 of thepresent invention and the components of the wall assembly 21 are enginecompartment hood components. In other words, the wall assembly 21 andthe components of the wall assembly 21 are constructed to be part of theengine compartment hood 37 of the vehicle 29. In such an application,the wall 10 of the wall assembly 21 is engaged directly or indirectly tothe hood outer wall 38 of the engine compartment hood 37. In fact, thewall 10, of the wall assembly 21, defines a portion of the hood outerwall 38 of the engine compartment hood 37. An engine compartment hood 37constructed with the wall assembly 21 of the present invention alsocomprises the access hatch 12 of the present invention. When the hatchdoor 14 is in its closed position, the hatch door 14 prevents objectsand substances from passing from a side of the wall 10 opposite theengine, through the hatch opening 13 to a same side of the wall 10 asthe engine. The access hatch 12 and the engine compartment hood 37 areconstructed such that when the hatch door 14 is in its open position,passage of objects from one side of the wall 10 to the other through thehatch opening 13 is permitted in both directions. In other words, thecomponents of the engine compartment hood 37, other than the hatch door14, are constructed and positioned so as to not obstruct passage ofobjects through the hatch opening 14 of the access hatch 12 from oneside of the wall assembly 21 to the other. Thus, when the hatch door 14is in its open position, it is possible to access and performmaintenance procedures on the engine of the vehicle 29 from a side ofthe wall opposite the engine. Such an engine compartment hood 37 may beconstructed and engaged to the vehicle 29 in a manner allowing movementof the entire engine compartment hood 37, including the access hatch 12,to an open position to allow for even greater access to the engine ofthe vehicle 29. The hatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the hatchdoor 14, which are initially temporarily fixedly engaged to one another,may be created integrally with the rest of the hood outer wall 38 whenthe hood outer wall 38 is created. Alternatively, the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14 may be createdindependently of the hood outer wall 38 and engaged to the hood outerwall 38 after the creation of the hood outer wall 38. In the preferredembodiment, the hood outer wall 38, the hood reinforcing structure 39,the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, and the hatch door 14 areconstructed of fiberglass, plastic, and composite type materials as itis well known to do for engine compartment hoods 37 of heavy truckvehicles 29. Also, in the preferred embodiment, many of these componentsthat are constructed of such materials are bonded to one another usingtechniques for bonding such materials together that are well known.

[0039] The operational door connecting components 15 may be constructedand engaged to the other components of the wall assembly 21 in any of anumber of different ways easily imagined by one of ordinary skill in theart. Any construction of operational door connecting components 15 andengagement of them to the other components of the wall assembly 21 thatmeets the functional requirements for the operational door connectingcomponents 15 after assembly of the wall assembly is complete would besatisfactory. These functional requirements are that the operationaldoor connecting components 15 must be able to support the hatch door 14in its closed position relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure24, and allow for movement of the hatch door 14 from its closedposition. The operational door connecting components 15 may or may notbe constructed to also support the hatch door 14 in positions other thanits closed position relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure24. The hatch door 14 the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, may beconstructed and engaged to one another in a manner allowing for movementof the hatch door 14 between its open and closed position when thecomponents are engaged to one another. Alternatively, the constructionand engagement of the hatch door 14, the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24, and the operational door connecting components 15 mayrequire disengagement of one or more of the components from one anotherin order to permit movement of the hatch door 14 from its closedposition. The operational door connecting components 15 may comprisevarious types of linkages, hinges, latches, fasteners, brackets andother types of components well known for use in supporting hatch doors14 relative to hatch opening perimeter structure 24. In the preferredembodiment, the operational door connecting components 15 include ahatch hinge 43 that is engaged directly or indirectly to the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The hatch hinge 43 isengaged to the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure24 in a manner such that the hatch door 14 is supported relative to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 by the hatch hinge 43. The hatchhinge 43 is engaged to these components in a manner such that the hatchhinge 43 allows for and supports the hatch door 14 during pivoting ofthe hatch door 14 about a hinge axis 44 relative to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. Thus, the hatch door 14 can be pivoted betweenits closed position and any of a number of positions away from itsclosed position in which the hatch opening 13 is exposed by the hatchdoor 14. In the preferred embodiment, the operational door connectingcomponents 15 further include latches 45 that can be engaged to both thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in order tomaintain the hatch door 14 in its closed position. Each of these latches45 includes a tensioned component 46 such as an elastomeric member thatmay be selectively engaged or disengaged through brackets to the hatchdoor 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The constructionof the access hatch 12 is such that the latches 45 exert an increasingmoment upon the hatch door 14, about the hinge axis 44, in a directionurging the hatch door 14 toward its closed position, as the hatch door14 pivots away from the closed position. Construction of and engagementof latches 45 to access hatches 12 in such a manner is well known.

[0040] The wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 might be constructed and engaged to the components of theaccess hatch 12 in a manner to provide substantial reinforcement for thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24,respectively. In order to provide such reinforcement, the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 would beconstructed with a substantially greater strength and stiffness incertain modes than the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24, respectively. The wall engagement component 23 and thedoor engagement component 22 may be constructed in any of a number ofways, easily imagined by one of ordinary skill in the art, that wouldenable them to reinforce the hatch door 14 and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. In order to properly serve as a reinforcement,the wall engagement component 23 must be constructed with a relativelyhigh stiffness and strength against buckling in directions parallel tothe hatch door outer surfaces 42 and against bending in directionsperpendicular to the hatch door outer surfaces 42. In order to properlyserve as a reinforcement, the door engagement component 23 must also beconstructed with a relatively high stiffness and strength againstbuckling in directions parallel to the hatch door outer surfaces 42 andagainst bending in directions perpendicular to the hatch door outersurfaces 42. By saying that the wall engagement component 23 and thedoor engagement component 22 must have a relatively high stiffness andstrength it is meant that their stiffness and strength must beconsiderably greater than that of the components they are intended toreinforce. It is preferable that each wall engagement component 23 haspoints of engagement to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 thatare separated by a considerable distance, so that large spans of thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 are reinforced by the wallengagement component 23. It is also preferable that the door engagementcomponent 22 has points of engagement to the hatch door 14 that are nearthe hatch door outer periphery 28 so that substantially the entire spanof the hatch door 14 is reinforced by the door engagement component 22.In the preferred embodiment, the wall engagement component 23 comprisesan opening perimeter reinforcement ring 47. The opening perimeterreinforcement ring 47 comprises a first reinforcement ring body 55. Thefirst reinforcement ring body 55 extends along a first ring bodycentroidal curve 56. A majority of portions of the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 adjacent an inner bound 57 of the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 have some portion of the first ring reinforcementring body 55 engaged to them. In order to make this possible, the firstreinforcement ring body 55 must be constructed such that the shape ofthe first ring body centroidal curve 56 has a shape very similar to theshape of the outer bound 57 of the hatch opening perimeter structure 24.The opening perimeter reinforcement ring 47 is constructed such that amajority of cross-sections of the first reinforcement ring body 55perpendicular to the first ring body centroidal curve 56, have arelatively high section modulus about axes perpendicular to the firstring body centroidal curve 56. Thus, the opening perimeter reinforcementring 47 stiffens and strengthens the hatch opening perimeter structure24 against bending in directions perpendicular to the first ring bodycentroidal curve 56 and against buckling in directions parallel to thefirst ring body centroidal curve 56. In the preferred embodiment, thedoor engagement component 22 comprises a door reinforcement ring 49. Thedoor reinforcement ring 49 comprises a second reinforcement ring body 58that extends along a second ring body centroidal curve 59. A majority ofportions of the hatch door 14 adjacent the hatch door periphery 28 havesome portion of the door reinforcement ring 49 engaged to them. In orderto make this possible, the second reinforcement ring body 58 must beconstructed such that the shape of the second ring body centroidal curve56 has a shape very similar to the shape of the hatch door periphery 28of the hatch door 14. The construction of the door reinforcement ring 49is such that substantially all cross-sections of the secondreinforcement ring body 58 perpendicular to the second ring bodycentroidal curve 59 have a relatively high section modulus about axesperpendicular to the second ring body centroidal curve 59. Thus, thedoor reinforcement ring 49 stiffens and strengthens the hatch door 14against bending in directions perpendicular to the second ring bodycentroidal curve 59 and against buckling in directions parallel to thesecond ring body centroidal curve 59. In the preferred embodiment, theopening perimeter reinforcement ring 47 is created as a single unitarypiece with no assembly required after creation. In the preferredembodiment, the door reinforcement ring 49 is also created as a singleunitary piece with no assembly required after creation. In the past manysuch reinforcement structures for hatch doors 14 and hatch openingperimeter structures 24 were assembled by fastening, welding orotherwise engaging a multitude of independently created componentstogether. Thus, because no assembly of the opening perimeterreinforcement ring 47 or the door reinforcement ring 49 is required,less assembly labor is required of the access hatch 12 of the preferredembodiment than is required for access hatches 12 that includereinforcement components assembled from multiple parts.

[0041] The process of assembling the wall assembly 21 of the presentinvention, preferably includes assembly of an access hatch reinforcementmodule 52. The access hatch reinforcement module 52 of the presentinvention comprises a wall engagement component 23, a door engagementcomponent 22, and operational door connecting components 15. The wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 arepreferably, but not necessarily, constructed in a manner such that theymay act as reinforcements to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24and the hatch door 14, respectively. The wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 22, of the access hatch reinforcementmodule 52, are temporarily fixedly engaged to one another in any mannerin accordance with the description included in this disclosure of theconstruction of the temporary fixed engagements 64 of these components.The wall engagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22are positioned relative to one another in a same position that theywould be in relative to one another when the wall assembly 21 is fullyassembled and the hatch door 14 is in its closed position. One or moreof the operational door connecting components 15 of the access hatchreinforcement module 52 are engaged to both the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the door engagement component 22. The operational doorconnecting components 15 may be engaged to the wall engagement component23 and the door engagement component 22 in any manner in accordance withthe description contained in this disclosure. In the preferredembodiment, the wall engagement component 23 is temporarily fixedlyengaged to the door engagement component 22, before the operational doorconnecting components 15 are engaged to the wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 22.

[0042] The process of assembling the wall assembly 21 of the presentinvention preferably includes engaging the assembled access hatchreinforcement module 52 to the hatch door 14 and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. The hatch door 14 and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are, preferably, temporarily fixedly engaged toone another, as described elsewhere in this disclosure, before theaccess hatch reinforcement module 52 is engaged to them. The hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are positioned relativeto one another in a same position that they would be in relative to oneanother after assembly of the wall assembly 21 is complete and when thehatch door 14 were in its closed position. Upon initial engagement toone another, the access hatch reinforcement module 52, the hatch door14, and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, are positionedrelative to one another in the position that they will be in afterassembly of the wall assembly 21 is complete and when the hatch door 14is closed. Preferably, the hatch door 14, the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24, and the wall 10 of the wall assembly are a singleintegrally created component before engagement of the access hatchreinforcement module 52 to them. It should be noted that, generally, nospecial construction of the engine compartment hood 37 or the hood outerwall 38 is necessary in order to enable construction of an access hatch12 to the engine compartment hood 37 according to the methods andconstructions of the present invention. In general, the construction ofthe access hatch reinforcement module 52 is tailored to the design of anexisting engine compartment hood 37, in order to enable construction ofan access hatch 12 according to the present invention. Preferably, thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are portionsof a hood outer wall 38 to which the access hatch reinforcement module52 is engaged before the temporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatchdoor 14 to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are separated. Inthe preferred embodiment, the portion of the hood outer wall 38 thatconstitutes the hatch door 14 is simply a portion of the hood outer wall38 that is in a position where it is desired to position the accesshatch 12. In this embodiment, the hatch opening perimeter structure 24is the portion of the hood outer wall 38 that is disposed outside thehatch door periphery 38. In this embodiment, the temporary fixedengagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 are the integral engagements, that are created with thecreation of the hood outer wall 38, between the portion of the hoodouter wall 38 that is the hatch door 14 and the portion of the hoodouter wall 38 that is the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Afterthe access hatch reinforcement module 52, the hatch door 14, and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 are engaged to one another, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 between the hatch door 14 and the hatchopening perimeter structure 24 are separated. Also after the accesshatch reinforcement module 52, the hatch door 14, and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are engaged to one another, the temporary fixedengagements 64 between the wall engagement component 23 and the doorengagement component 22 are separated. After the temporary fixedengagements 27 are separated, the hatch door 14 is supported in aproperly aligned manner within the hatch opening 13, by the operationaldoor connecting components 15.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications couldbe made to the invention as described without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and thus the scope of the invention islimited only by the following claims.

We claim:
 1. An assembly, comprising: (a) hatch opening perimeterstructure; (b) a hatch door temporarily fixedly engaged to said hatchopening perimeter structure by temporary fixed engagements between saidhatch door and said hatch opening perimeter structure; and (c) one ormore operational door connecting components, one or more of which isengaged directly or indirectly to said hatch opening perimeter structureand said hatch door.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein: (a) Saidhatch door is positioned in its closed position relative to said hatchopening perimeter structure;
 3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein: (a)said hatch door comprises a continuous sheet that extends beyond a hatchdoor periphery and extends into and becomes a portion of said hatchopening perimeter structure; and (b) wherein said temporary fixedengagements of said hatch door to said hatch opening perimeter structurecomprise fixed engagement of a portion of said continuous sheet that ispart of said hatch door to a portion of said continuous sheet that is aportion of said hatch opening perimeter structure at said hatch doorperiphery.
 4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein: (a) said assembly andcomponents of said assembly are vehicle body components.
 5. The assemblyof claim 4 , wherein: (a) Said assembly and components of said assemblyare engine compartment hood components.
 6. The assembly of claim 5 ,wherein: (a) said assembly further comprises a door engagement componentthat is fixedly engaged to said portion of said continuous sheet that isa portion of said hatch door; (b) said assembly further comprises a wallengagement component that is fixedly engaged to said hatch openingperimeter structure; (c) one or more of said one or more operationaldoor connecting components that are engaged to both said hatch door andsaid hatch opening perimeter structure is engaged to said doorengagement component and said wall engagement component and is, thus,engaged to said hatch door and said hatch opening perimeter structureonly indirectly.
 7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein: (a) in additionto being engaged indirectly to one another through said one or moreoperational door connecting components that they are engaged to andthrough engagement to said hatch opening perimeter structure and saidhatch door, which are engaged to one another, respectively, said wallengagement component and said door engagement component are temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another directly by temporary fixed engagementsof said wall engagement component to said door engagement component. 8.The assembly of claim 7 , wherein: (a) one or more of said temporaryfixed engagements of said wall engagement component to said doorengagement component are effected as a result of one or more tabsextending between and being fixedly engaged to both said wall engagementcomponent and said door engagement component in a temporary manner. 9.The assembly of claim 8 , wherein: (a) each one of said tabs that isfixedly engaged to and extends between said wall engagement componentand said door engagement component, has a middle portion that isdisposed between terminal ends of said tab that are fixedly engaged tosaid door engagement component and said wall engagement component; and(b) said middle portion of each one of said tabs that is fixedly engagedto and extends between said wall engagement component and said doorengagement component is disposed adjacent said hatch door periphery. 10.The assembly of claim 6 , wherein: (a) said wall engagement componentcomprises an opening perimeter reinforcement ring that is constructed ofa first reinforcement ring body that extends along a first ring bodycentroidal curve; (b) said opening perimeter reinforcement ring isconstructed with a shape such that said first ring body centroidal curveis of a shape similar to a shape of an inner bound of said hatch openingperimeter structure; (c) said first reinforcement ring body has a shapesuch that a majority of cross sections of said first reinforcement ringbody perpendicular to said first ring body centroidal curve have arelatively substantial moment of inertia about axes perpendicular tosaid first ring body centroidal curve; (d) said door engagementcomponent comprises a door reinforcement ring that is constructed of asecond reinforcement ring body that extends along a second ring bodycentroidal curve; (e) said door reinforcement ring is constructed with ashape such that said second ring body centroidal curve has a shapesimilar to that of said hatch door periphery of said hatch door; and (f)said second reinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majority ofcross sections of said second reinforcement ring body perpendicular tosaid second ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantialmoment of inertia about axes perpendicular to said second ring bodycentroidal curve.
 11. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein: (a) said wallengagement component is of unitary construction; and (b) said doorengagement component is of unitary construction.
 12. The assembly ofclaim 6 , wherein: (a) one or more tabs that are integrally engaged toone of said door engagement component and said wall engagement componentare engaged to complimentary recesses defined by whichever of said doorengagement component and said wall engagement component said one or moretabs are not integrally engaged to.
 13. An access hatch reinforcementmodule for assembly to a hatch door which has a hatch door periphery,and hatch opening perimeter structure which has an inner bound, andwhere the access hatch reinforcement module, the hatch door, and thehatch opening perimeter structure may be included as parts of a wallassembly and an access hatch thereof, comprising: (a) a wall engagementcomponent designed to be engaged to the hatch opening perimeterstructure; (b) a door engagement component designed to be engaged to thehatch door; (c) one or more operational door connecting components; (d)wherein temporary fixed engagements temporarily fixedly engage said wallengagement component to said door engagement component; (e) wherein oneor more of said one or more operational door connecting components areengaged to both said wall engagement component of said access hatchreinforcement module and said door engagement component of said accesshatch reinforcement module; and (f) said operational door connectingcomponents that are engaged to both said wall engagement component andsaid door engagement component are constructed and engaged to said wallengagement component and said door engagement component in a manner suchthat said door engagement component would still be mounted to said wallengagement component by said operational door connecting components ifsaid temporary fixed engagements, which temporarily fixedly engage saiddoor engagement component to said wall engagement component wereseparated.
 14. The access hatch reinforcement module of claim 13 ,wherein: (a) said wall engagement component and said door engagementcomponent are positioned relative to one another in a same position assaid wall engagement component and said door engagement component wouldbe in relative to one another after assembly of the wall assembly andthe access hatch were complete and if the hatch door were positioned inits closed position;
 15. The access hatch reinforcement module of claim14 , wherein: (a) one or more of said temporary fixed engagements ofsaid door engagement component to said wall engagement component areeffected as a result of one or more tabs extending between and beingfixedly engaged to both said door engagement component and said wallengagement component in a temporary manner.
 16. The access hatchreinforcement module of claim 15 , wherein: (a) each one of said one ormore tabs that extend between and are fixedly engaged to both said doorengagement component and said wall engagement component in a temporarymanner has a middle portion disposed between terminal end portions ofsaid tab that are fixedly engaged to said door engagement component andsaid wall engagement component; and (b) said tabs are positionedrelative to said wall engagement component and said door engagementcomponent such that, after said access hatch reinforcement module ismounted to the hatch door and the hatch opening perimeter structure, andbefore said temporary fixed engagements of said wall engagementcomponent to said door engagement component are separated, said middleportion of said tabs is disposed adjacent the hatch door periphery ofthe hatch door.
 17. The access hatch reinforcement module of claim 16 ,wherein: (a) said wall engagement component is constructed such that,said wall engagement component may provide substantial reinforcement forthe hatch opening reinforcement module after assembly of the wallassembly and the access hatch thereof is complete; and (b) said doorengagement component is constructed such that, said door engagementcomponent may provide substantial reinforcement for the hatch door afterassembly of the wall assembly and the access hatch thereof is complete.18. The access hatch reinforcement module of claim 17 , wherein: (g)said wall engagement component comprises an opening perimeterreinforcement ring that is constructed of a first reinforcement ringbody that extends along a first ring body centroidal curve; (h) saidopening perimeter reinforcement ring is constructed with a shape suchthat said first ring body centroidal curve is of a shape similar to ashape of the inner bound of the hatch opening perimeter structure; (i)said first reinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majority ofcross sections of said first reinforcement ring body perpendicular tosaid first ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantialmoment of inertia about axes perpendicular to said first ring bodycentroidal curve; (j) said door engagement component comprises a doorreinforcement ring that is constructed of a second reinforcement ringbody that extends along a second ring body centroidal curve; (k) saiddoor reinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that saidsecond ring body centroidal curve has a shape similar to that of thehatch door periphery of the hatch door; and (l) said secondreinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majority of crosssections of said second reinforcement ring body perpendicular to saidsecond ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantial momentof inertia about axes perpendicular to said second ring body centroidalcurve.
 19. The access hatch reinforcement module of claim 18 , wherein:(a) said one or more operational door connecting components that areengaged to both said wall engagement component and said door engagementcomponent comprise a hatch hinge engaged to both said wall engagementcomponent and said door engagement component.
 20. The access hatchreinforcement module of claim 19 , wherein: (a) one or more of said tabsthat extend between and are temporarily fixedly engaged to both saidwall engagement component and said door engagement component areintegrally engaged to said wall engagement component and/or said doorengagement component; (b) of said one or more tabs that are integrallyengaged to said wall engagement component and/or said door engagementcomponent each individual tab is integrally engaged to only one of saidwall engagement component and said door engagement component; (c) saidwall engagement component and/or said door engagement component defineone or more complimentary recesses; and (d) an outer terminal end of oneor more of said tabs that are integrally engaged to said wall engagementcomponent and/or said door engagement component is disposed within acomplimentary recess defined by whichever of said wall engagementcomponent and said door engagement component each particular tab is notintegrally engaged to.
 21. The access hatch reinforcement module ofclaim 20 , wherein: (c) said wall engagement component is of unitaryconstruction; and (d) said door engagement component is of unitaryconstruction.
 22. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein: (a) said wallengagement component comprises an opening perimeter reinforcement ringthat is constructed of a first reinforcement ring body that extendsalong a first ring body centroidal curve; (b) said opening perimeterreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said first ringbody centroidal curve is of a shape similar to a shape of an inner boundof said hatch opening perimeter structure; (c) said first reinforcementring body has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of saidfirst reinforcement ring body perpendicular to said first ring bodycentroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia aboutaxes perpendicular to said first ring body centroidal curve; (d) saiddoor engagement component comprises a door reinforcement ring that isconstructed of a second reinforcement ring body that extends along asecond ring body centroidal curve; (e) said door reinforcement ring isconstructed with a shape such that said second ring body centroidalcurve has a shape similar to that of said hatch door periphery of saidhatch door; and (f) said second reinforcement ring body has a shape suchthat a majority of cross sections of said second reinforcement ring bodyperpendicular to said second ring body centroidal curve have arelatively substantial moment of inertia about axes perpendicular tosaid second ring body centroidal curve.
 23. The assembly of claim 13 ,wherein: (a) said wall engagement component is of unitary construction;and (b) said door engagement component is of unitary construction. 24.The assembly of claim 13 , wherein: (a) one or more tabs that areintegrally engaged to one of said door engagement component and saidwall engagement component are engaged to complimentary recesses definedby whichever of said door engagement component and said wall engagementcomponent said one or more tabs are not integrally engaged to.
 25. Afirst hatch engagement component that is constructed to be engageddirectly to either a hatch door or hatch opening perimeter structure ofa wall assembly and access hatch thereof, and the hatch openingperimeter structure has an inner bound, and the hatch door has a hatchdoor periphery, and the first hatch engagement component is alsoconstructed to be engaged through operational door connecting componentsto a second hatch engagement component, and the second hatch engagementcomponent is to be engaged directly to whichever of the hatch door andthe hatch opening perimeter structure the first hatch engagementcomponent is not to be engaged directly to, and the wall assembly andaccess hatch thereof are to be constructed to allow positioning of thehatch door in a closed position, and the second hatch engagementcomponent comprises one or more tab alignment features that include oneor more tab(s) that are integrally engaged to the second hatchengagement component and/or one or more complimentary recess(s) that aredefined by the second hatch engagement component, said first hatchengagement component comprising: (a) a hatch engagement component body;(b) one or more tab alignment features comprising one or more tab(s)integrally engaged to said first hatch engagement feature and/or one ormore complimentary recess(s) defined by said hatch engagement componentbody of said first hatch engagement component; and (c) wherein one ormore of said tab alignment features of said first hatch engagementcomponent are positioned and constructed such that they arecomplimentary to, or may be engaged to, one or more of the tab alignmentfeatures of the second hatch engagement component.
 26. The first hatchengagement component of claim 25 , wherein: (a) said first hatchengagement component comprises a plurality of tab alignment featuresthat are positioned and constructed such that they are complimentary to,or may be engaged to a plurality of tab alignment features of the secondhatch engagement component simultaneously.
 27. The first hatchengagement component of claim 26 , wherein: (a) said first hatchengagement component is constructed such that said first hatchengagement component may provide substantial reinforcement for whicheverof the hatch opening perimeter structure and the hatch door that saidfirst hatch engagement component is to be engaged directly to.
 28. Thefirst hatch engagement component of claim 27 , wherein: (a) said firsthatch engagement component is to be engaged directly to the hatchopening perimeter structure and the second hatch engagement component isto be engaged directly to the hatch door; (b) said first hatchengagement component comprises an opening perimeter reinforcement ringthat is constructed of a first reinforcement ring body that extendsalong a first ring body centroidal curve; (c) said opening perimeterreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said first ringbody centroidal curve is of a shape similar to a shape of the innerbound of the hatch opening perimeter structure; and (d) said firstreinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majority of crosssections of said first reinforcement ring body perpendicular to saidfirst ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment ofinertia about axes perpendicular to said first ring body centroidalcurve.
 29. The first hatch engagement component of claim 28 , wherein:(a) said first hatch engagement component is of unitary construction.30. The first hatch engagement component of claim 29 , wherein: (a) saidfirst hatch engagement component is to be engaged directly to the hatchdoor and the second hatch engagement component is to be engaged directlyto the hatch opening perimeter structure; (b) said first hatchengagement component comprises a door reinforcement ring that isconstructed of a second reinforcement ring body that extends along asecond ring body centroidal curve; (c) said door reinforcement ring isconstructed with a shape such that said second ring body centroidalcurve is of a shape similar to a shape of the hatch door periphery; and(d) said second reinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majorityof cross sections of said second reinforcement ring body perpendicularto said second ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantialmoment of inertia about axes perpendicular to said second ring bodycentroidal curve.
 31. The first hatch engagement component of claim 30 ,wherein: (a) said first hatch engagement component is of unitaryconstruction.
 32. An assembly, comprising: (a) hatch opening perimeterstructure; (b) a wall engagement component engaged to said hatch openingperimeter structure; (c) one or more operational door connecting engagedto said wall engagement component; (d) a door engagement componentengaged to said one or more operational door connecting components; (e)a hatch door engaged to said door engagement component; (f) wherein saidhatch door is supported by one or more of said operational doorconnecting components which are, in turn, supported by said hatchopening perimeter structure; (g) wherein said wall engagement componentis constructed such that it provides substantial reinforcement for saidhatch opening perimeter structure; and (h) wherein said door engagementcomponent is constructed such that it provides substantial reinforcementfor said hatch door.
 33. The assembly of claim 32 , wherein: (a) saidwall engagement component is of unitary construction; and (b) said doorengagement component is of unitary construction.
 34. The assembly ofclaim 33 , wherein: (a) said wall engagement component comprises anopening perimeter reinforcement ring that is constructed of a firstreinforcement ring body that extends along a first ring body centroidalcurve; (b) said opening perimeter reinforcement ring is constructed witha shape such that said first ring body centroidal curve is of a shapesimilar to a shape of an inner bound of said hatch opening perimeterstructure; (c) said first reinforcement ring body has a shape such thata majority of cross sections of said first reinforcement ring bodyperpendicular to said first ring body centroidal curve have a relativelysubstantial moment of inertia about axes perpendicular to said firstring body centroidal curve; (d) said door engagement component comprisesa door reinforcement ring that is constructed of a second reinforcementring body that extends along a second ring body centroidal curve; (e)said door reinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that saidsecond ring body centroidal curve has a shape similar to that of a hatchdoor periphery of said hatch door; and (f) said second reinforcementring body has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of saidsecond reinforcement ring body perpendicular to said second ring bodycentroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia aboutaxes perpendicular to said second ring body centroidal curve.
 35. Theassembly of claim 34 , wherein: (a) said wall engagement component, andsaid hatch opening perimeter structure are constructed of materialsselected from a group consisting of plastics, composites, and fiberglassmaterials; (b) said wall engagement component and said hatch openingperimeter structure are bonded to one another; (c) said door engagementcomponent, and said hatch door are constructed of materials selectedfrom a group consisting of plastics, composites, and fiberglassmaterials; and (d) said door engagement component and said hatch doorare bonded to one another.
 36. The assembly of claim 35 , wherein: (a)one or more of said one or more operational door connecting componentscomprise a hatch hinge that is constructed and engaged to said wallengagement component and said door engagement component in a manner suchthat said hatch door is mounted to said hatch opening perimeterstructure in a manner allowing pivotal relative movement between themabout a hinge axis.
 37. A vehicle, comprising: (a) a frame to which alarge percentage of other components of said vehicle are directly orindirectly engaged; (b) a suspension system, for supporting said frame,to which said frame is engaged; (c) one or more body structures engagedto said frame; (d) wherein one of said body structures of said framecomprises a wall assembly and an access hatch of said wall assembly; (i)wherein said wall assembly and said access hatch of said wall assemblycomprise a hatch opening perimeter structure; (j) wherein said wallassembly and said access hatch of said wall assembly further comprise awall engagement component engaged to said hatch opening perimeterstructure; (k) wherein said wall assembly and said access hatch of saidwall assembly further comprise one or more operational door connectingengaged to said wall engagement component; (l) wherein said wallassembly and said access hatch of said wall assembly further comprise adoor engagement component engaged to said one or more operational doorconnecting components; (m) wherein said wall assembly and said accesshatch of said wall assembly further comprise a hatch door engaged tosaid door engagement component; (n) wherein said hatch door is supportedby one or more of said operational door connecting components which are,in turn, supported by said hatch opening perimeter structure; (o)wherein said wall engagement component is constructed such that itprovides substantial reinforcement for said hatch opening perimeterstructure; and (e) wherein said door engagement component is constructedsuch that it provides substantial reinforcement for said hatch door. 38.The vehicle of claim 37 , wherein: (a) said wall engagement component isof unitary construction; and (b) said door engagement component is ofunitary construction.
 39. The vehicle of claim 38 , wherein: (a) saidwall engagement component comprises an opening perimeter reinforcementring that is constructed of a first reinforcement ring body that extendsalong a first ring body centroidal curve; (b) said opening perimeterreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said first ringbody centroidal curve is of a shape similar to a shape of an inner boundof said hatch opening perimeter structure; (c) said first reinforcementring body has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of saidfirst reinforcement ring body perpendicular to said first ring bodycentroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia aboutaxes perpendicular to said first ring body centroidal curve; (d) saiddoor engagement component comprises a door reinforcement ring that isconstructed of a second reinforcement ring body that extends along asecond ring body centroidal curve; (e) said door reinforcement ring isconstructed with a shape such that said second ring body centroidalcurve has a shape similar to that of a hatch door periphery of saidhatch door; and (f) said second reinforcement ring body has a shape suchthat a majority of cross sections of said second reinforcement ring bodyperpendicular to said second ring body centroidal curve have arelatively substantial moment of inertia about axes perpendicular tosaid second ring body centroidal curve.
 40. The vehicle of claim 39 ,wherein: (a) said wall engagement component, and said hatch openingperimeter structure are constructed of materials selected from a groupconsisting of plastics, composites, and fiberglass materials; (b) saidwall engagement component and said hatch opening perimeter structure arebonded to one another; (c) said door engagement component, and saidhatch door are constructed of materials selected from a group consistingof plastics, composites, and fiberglass materials; and (d) said doorengagement component and said hatch door are bonded to one another. 41.The vehicle of claim 40 , wherein: (a) one or more of said one or moreoperational door connecting components comprise a hatch hinge that isconstructed and engaged to said wall engagement component and said doorengagement component in a manner such that said hatch door is mounted tosaid hatch opening perimeter structure in a manner allowing pivotalrelative movement between them about a hinge axis.
 42. The vehicle ofclaim 41 , wherein: (a) said body structure which comprises said wallassembly and said access hatch thereof is an engine compartment hood ofsaid vehicle; (b) said hatch opening perimeter structure is fixedlyengaged directly or indirectly to a hood outer wall of said enginecompartment hood; (c) a hatch opening is defined between inner bounds ofsaid hatch opening perimeter structure; (d) said wall assembly isconstructed such that said hatch door is permitted to be moved between aclosed position in which it substantially covers said hatch opening andan open position in which it substantially exposes said hatch opening.43. A method of constructing a wall assembly that has an access hatchthereof, comprising the steps of: (a) fixedly engaging a hatch door tohatch opening perimeter structure in a temporary manner with temporaryfixed engagements between the hatch door and the hatch opening perimeterstructure; (b) engaging one or more operational door connectingcomponents to both the hatch door and the hatch opening perimeterstructure in a manner such that were the hatch door and the hatchopening perimeter structure not fixedly engaged to one another the hatchdoor would be supported to the hatch opening perimeter structure by itsengagement to the hatch opening perimeter structure through the one ormore operational door connecting components; and (c) after the one ormore operational door connecting components are engaged to both thehatch door and the hatch opening perimeter structure, separating thetemporary fixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch doorperimeter structure.
 44. The method of claim 43 , wherein: (a) duringsaid step of fixedly engaging the hatch door to the hatch openingperimeter structure the hatch door is fixedly engaged in its closedposition relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure.
 45. Themethod of claim 44 , wherein: (a) said step of fixedly engaging thehatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure more specificallycomprises creating the hatch door and the hatch opening perimeterstructure out of a unitary sheet that extends beyond a hatch doorperiphery into and becomes the hatch opening perimeter structure suchthat the temporary fixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatchopening perimeter structure consist only of integral engagements of theportion of the unitary sheet that is the hatch door to the portion ofthe unitary sheet that is the hatch opening perimeter structure at thehatch door periphery; and (b) said step of separating the temporaryfixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeterstructure is accomplished by separating the portion of the unitary sheetthat is the hatch door from the portion of the unitary sheet that is thehatch opening perimeter structure, at the hatch door periphery.
 46. Themethod of claim 45 , wherein: (a) the hatch door, the hatch openingperimeter structure, and the operational door connecting components areconstructed for use as part of vehicle body structures.
 47. The methodof claim 46 , wherein: (a) the hatch door, the hatch opening perimeterstructure, and the operational door connecting components areconstructed for use as part of an engine compartment hood of a vehicle.48. The method of claim 47 , wherein: (a) said step of engaging the oneor more operational door connecting components to both the hatch doorand the hatch opening perimeter structure more specifically comprisesthe steps of: (i) engaging one or more of the operational doorcomponents to both a wall engagement component and a door engagementcomponent; (ii) either before or after engaging the one or moreoperational door components to the wall engagement component, engagingthe wall engagement component to the hatch opening perimeter structure;and (iii) either before or after engaging the one or more operationaldoor components to the door engagement component, engaging the doorengagement component to the hatch door.
 49. The method of claim 48 ,wherein: (a) said method further comprises the step of fixedly engagingthe wall engagement component and the door engagement component to oneanother in a temporary manner with temporary fixed engagements of thewall engagement component to the door engagement component; (b) saidstep of fixedly engaging the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component in a temporary manner is performed before the stepof engaging the one or more operational door connecting components tothe wall engagement component, before the step of engaging the one ormore operational door connecting components to the door engagementcomponent, before the step of engaging the wall engagement component tothe hatch opening perimeter structure, and before the step of engagingthe door engagement component to the hatch door; (c) said method furthercomprises the step of separating the temporary fixed engagements of thewall engagement component to the door engagement component; and (d) saidstep of separating the temporary fixed engagements of the wallengagement components to the door engagement components is performedafter the step of engaging the one or more operational door connectingcomponents to the wall engagement component and also after the step ofengaging the one or more operational door connecting components to thedoor engagement component.
 50. The method of claim 49 , wherein: (a)said step of fixedly engaging the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component in a temporary manner more specifically comprisesthe step of fixedly engaging one or more tabs to both the wallengagement component and the door engagement component in a positionsuch that each of the one or more tabs extends between the wallengagement component and the door engagement component.
 51. The methodof claim 50 , wherein: (a) said method further comprises the step ofaligning the door engagement component to the wall engagement componentby engaging one or more tab(s) that are integrally engaged to the wallengagement component and/or the door engagement component to one or morecomplimentary recess(s) that are defined by the wall engagementcomponent and the door engagement component; (b) said step of aligningthe wall engagement component to the door engagement component isperformed prior to the step of fixedly engaging the wall engagementcomponent to the door engagement component.
 52. The method of claim 51 ,wherein: (a) said step of fixedly engaging the wall engagement componentto the door engagement component in a temporary manner, said step offixedly engaging the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structurein a temporary manner, said step of engaging the door engagementcomponent to the hatch door, said step of engaging the wall engagementcomponent to the hatch opening perimeter structure, said step ofengaging the operational door connecting components to the wallengagement component, and said step of engaging the operational doorconnecting components to the door engagement component are all performedbefore said step of separating the temporary fixed engagements of thewall engagement component to the door engagement component and alsobefore said step of separating the fixed engagements of the hatch doorto the hatch opening perimeter structure; (b) the components of the wallassembly and the access hatch thereof are constructed in such a manner,and said steps of said method are performed in a manner such that, priorto said step of separating the temporary fixed engagements of the wallengagement component to the door engagement component, and also prior tosaid step of separating the temporary fixed engagements of the hatchdoor to the hatch opening perimeter structure, a middle portion of eachof the tabs that extends between and is fixedly engaged to the wallengagement component and the door engagement component is disposedadjacent to the hatch door periphery; (c) said step of separating thetemporary fixed engagements of the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component more specifically comprises the step of severingthe middle portion of each of the tabs that extends between and isfixedly engaged to both the wall engagement component and the doorengagement component; and (d) said step of separating the temporaryfixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeterstructure, which consists of severing the portion of the unitary sheetthat is the hatch door from the portion of the unitary sheet that is thehatch opening perimeter structure at the hatch door periphery, isperformed simultaneously with said step of severing the middle portionof each of the tabs that extends between and is fixedly engaged to boththe wall engagement component and the door engagement component.
 53. Themethod of claim 49 , wherein: (a) said method further comprises the stepof aligning the door engagement component to the wall engagementcomponent by engaging one or more tab(s) that are integrally engaged tothe wall engagement component and/or the door engagement component toone or more complimentary recess(s) that are defined by the wallengagement component and the door engagement component; (b) said step ofaligning the wall engagement component to the door engagement componentis performed prior to the step of fixedly engaging the wall engagementcomponent to the door engagement component.
 54. A method of assemblingan engine compartment hood with an access hatch and installing theengine compartment hood to a vehicle, comprising the steps of: (a)constructing an engine compartment hood with a hood outer wall thatcomprises a portion of the hood outer wall that is a hatch door which isintegrally engaged to a surrounding portion of the hood outerwall thatis hatch opening perimeter structure; (b) constructing an access hatchreinforcement module comprising the steps of: (i) fixedly engaging awall engagement component to a door engagement component in a temporarymanner with temporary fixed engagements; and (ii) subsequent to saidstep of fixedly engaging the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component, engaging one or more operational door connectingcomponents to the wall engagement component and the door engagementcomponent in a manner such that if the door engagement component werenot fixedly engaged to the wall engagement component by the temporaryfixed engagements, the door engagement component would be supported tothe wall engagement component by its engagement to the wall engagementcomponent through the one or more operational door connectingcomponents. (c) subsequent to said step of constructing the access hatchreinforcement module, engaging the wall engagement component of theaccess hatch reinforcement module to the hatch opening perimeterstructure portion of the hood outer wall; (d) simultaneous to said stepof engaging the wall engagement component to the hatch opening perimeterstructure, engaging the door engagement component to the hatch doorportion of the hood outer wall; (e) subsequent to said step of engagingthe wall engagement component to the hatch opening perimeter structure,and also subsequent to said step of engaging the door engagementcomponent to the hatch door, separating the portion of the hood outerwall that is the hatch door from the portion of the hood outer wall thatis the hatch opening perimeter structure; (f) subsequent to said step ofengaging the wall engagement component to the hatch opening perimeterstructure, and also subsequent to said step of engaging the doorengagement component to the hatch door, separating the temporary fixedengagements of the door engagement component to the wall engagementcomponent; (g) engaging the engine compartment hood to the vehicle. 55.The method of claim 54 , wherein: (a) said method further comprises thestep of aligning the door engagement component to the wall engagementcomponent by engaging one or more tab(s) that are integrally engaged tothe wall engagement component and/or the door engagement component toone or more complimentary recess(s) that are defined by the wallengagement component and the door engagement component; (b) said step ofaligning the wall engagement component to the door engagement componentis performed prior to the step of fixedly engaging the wall engagementcomponent to the door engagement component.
 56. The method of claim 55 ,wherein: (a) said step of fixedly engaging the wall engagement componentto the door engagement component in a temporary manner more specificallycomprises the step of fixedly engaging one or more tabs to both the wallengagement component and the door engagement component in a positionsuch that each of the one or more tabs extends between the wallengagement component and the door engagement component.
 57. The methodof claim 56 , wherein: (e) the components of the engine compartment hoodand the access hatch thereof are constructed in such a manner, and saidsteps of said method are performed in a manner such that, prior to saidstep of separating the temporary fixed engagements of the wallengagement component to the door engagement component, and also prior tosaid step of separating the temporary fixed engagements of the hatchdoor to the hatch opening perimeter structure, a middle portion of eachof the tabs that extends between and is fixedly engaged to the wallengagement component and the door engagement component is disposedadjacent to the hatch door periphery; (f) said step of separating thetemporary fixed engagements of the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component more specifically comprises the step of severingthe middle portion of each of the tabs that extends between and isfixedly engaged to both the wall engagement component and the doorengagement component; and (a) said step of separating the temporaryfixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeterstructure, which consists of severing the portion of the hood outer wallthat is the hatch door from the portion of the hood outer wall that isthe hatch opening perimeter structure at the hatch door periphery, isperformed simultaneously with said step of severing the middle portionof each of the tabs that extends between and is fixedly engaged to boththe wall engagement component and the door engagement component.
 58. Themethod of claim 57 , wherein: (a) the wall engagement component is ofunitary construction; and (b) the door engagement component is ofunitary construction.
 59. The method of claim 58 , wherein: (a) the wallengagement component is constructed such that it provides substantialreinforcement for the hatch opening perimeter structure; and (b) thedoor engagement component is constructed such that it providessubstantial reinforcement for the hatch door.
 60. The vehicle of claim59 , further comprising: (g) the wall engagement component comprises anopening perimeter reinforcement ring that is constructed of a firstreinforcement ring body that extends along a first ring body centroidalcurve; (h) the opening perimeter reinforcement ring is constructed witha shape such that the first ring body centroidal curve is of a shapesimilar to a shape of an inner bound of the hatch opening perimeterstructure; (i) the first reinforcement ring body has a shape such that amajority of cross sections of the first reinforcement ring bodyperpendicular to the first ring body centroidal curve have a relativelysubstantial moment of inertia about axes perpendicular to the first ringbody centroidal curve; (j) the door engagement component comprises adoor reinforcement ring that is constructed of a second reinforcementring body that extends along a second ring body centroidal curve; (k)the door reinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that saidsecond ring body centroidal curve has a shape similar to that of a hatchdoor periphery of said hatch door; and (a) the second reinforcement ringbody has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of the secondreinforcement ring body perpendicular to the second ring body centroidalcurve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia about axesperpendicular to the second ring body centroidal curve.
 61. The methodof claim 60 , wherein: (a) one or more of said one or more operationaldoor connecting components comprise a hatch hinge that is constructedand engaged to said wall engagement component and said door engagementcomponent in a manner such that said hatch door is mounted to said hatchopening perimeter structure in a manner allowing pivotal relativemovement between them about a hinge axis.
 62. A method of assembling anaccess hatch reinforcement module, comprising the steps of: (a) fixedlyengaging a wall engagement component to a door engagement component in atemporary manner with temporary fixed engagements; and (b) subsequent tosaid step of fixedly engaging the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component, engaging one or more operational door connectingcomponents to the wall engagement component and the door engagementcomponent in a manner such that if the door engagement component werenot fixedly engaged to the wall engagement component by the temporaryfixed engagements, the door engagement component would be supported tothe wall engagement component by its engagement to the wall engagementcomponent through the one or more operational door connectingcomponents.
 63. The method of claim 62 , wherein: (a) said methodfurther comprises the step of aligning the door engagement component tothe wall engagement component by engaging one or more tab(s) that areintegrally engaged to the wall engagement component and/or the doorengagement component to one or more complimentary recess(s) that aredefined by the wall engagement component and the door engagementcomponent; (b) said step of aligning the wall engagement component tothe door engagement component is performed prior to the step of fixedlyengaging the wall engagement component to the door engagement component.64. The method of claim 63 , wherein: (a) said step of fixedly engagingthe wall engagement component to the door engagement component in atemporary manner more specifically comprises the step of fixedlyengaging one or more tabs to both the wall engagement component and thedoor engagement component in a position such that each of the one ormore tabs extends between the wall engagement component and the doorengagement component.